Frayed Knights: Dungeons Scrawls
Here's an update on the progress of Frayed Knights, the comedy-based indie RPG in development by Rampant Games.

You know, it's much, much easier to draw a map out on graph paper than it is to actually develop it as a full-fledged game level. Especially when you are not very good at the latter. The programmer in me wants to create a tool that will let me just draw the walls of a level (or adapt one of several programs out there that already do that), and convert it to a .map file. There's just one problem: The end result will look just as bad as what I'm already creating. It's all about the details.

As much as I'm trying to draw upon old-school pen-and-paper D&D for inspiration, there are a few things that just won't work. And frankly, the very 2D, rectilinear dungeons of yesteryear make very poor 3D CRPG dungeons. I remember Tracy Hicman, co-author of the Ravenloft module and the Dragonlance series, bringing this up at one conference (which I mentioned in one of my Wizardry 8 walkthrough articles) - old-school D&D dungeon design is boring and flat. I don't want levels to just be populated by practically random monsters, where you just kick the door down and find out what monster is behind it. While that is very old-school dungeon crawl, even back in the late 70's / early 80's, the dungeon crawls had a lot more rhyme & reason to them and theming than even many of the CRPGs of the 90's.

But before I ever even sketch out the map on graph paper, and long before fire up my level editing tool (currently I'm taking another stab at Torque Constructor), I need to have a very clear idea for each major level. I want these settings to stand out, not to be just random geometry with random combat. Players can get plenty of exercise doing that playing Diablo or NetHack (and even those games have some theming in their levels).

I have been going through this exercise for a couple of the upcoming dungeons I'm working on. For each one, and the outdoor areas, I want to answer these questions on paper. Yeah, it's design-doc-ish stuff, but a good exercise even as the only guy working on the project. And if I manage to contract Kevin or other unlucky level designers to handle some of the actual construction, they'll need this same kinda information

I'm going to use the Temple of Pokmor Xang as the example here, since ya'll have already played it and stuff. Assuming you could stomach it. It's gonna get better, I promise! :)


#1 - What do I want the player experience to be?
In the case of the Temple of Pokmor Xang, this was to provide an introduction and tutorial to the principle game mechanics of the game. The dungeon should provide a simplified view of the breadth of gameplay, and provide a representative sample of the quality of the game to come. It should also provide a good example of the humor and parody elements.

#2 - What is the physical setting of this level? What should be unique about it?
For Pokmor Xang, this was an underground temple used by evil cultist long, ago.

In more recent years, it was reclaimed by a different cult - the cultists of Pokmor Xang, a loser of a god - and a loser of a cult. The primary "set-piece" of the dungeon is the altar room, where the ominous statue of a dark god would ordinarily appear pretty impressive and scary. In PX's case, it's should appear lame, and comical in contrast to what the apparent "desired effect" would be. The entire level should reflect this - it's a much bigger, more impressive and potentially threatening setting than it really deserves to be.

#3 - What is the history of this area? How can this history be incorporated into game elements to make it more interesting?
There should also be some old signs as to the previous ownership of the temple. This actually didn't come through very well, and would need to be enhanced. There should also be some indication of why the PX cultists are here now, explaining the storyline to those who want to follow it.

#4 - What are the principle encounter types? Why are they here? What makes them different in combat?
For Pokmor Xang, the two principle encounter types are cultists (magic-using and melee), and their disgusting creations - pus golems. Brittlebone skeletons provided a minor break in the action. Kraltic Barg is the "boss" bad guy.

The big contrast should be in the player encountering what should be a major, scary evil cult, but it is more of a fifth-string cult of bumpkins playing at being evil and nasty. The boss himself, Kraltic Barg, should actually be a little bit scary and competent, but he's content with being a big fish in a tiny pond.

Unfortunately, those encounters have failed to provide enough of a distinctive feel in combat - something I need to remedy:

* Ordinary Cultists should be a pretty straightforward melee encounter versus humans - moderately hard-hitting, moderately good at soaking damage. Pretty much the baseline for an encounter.

* Priests should make things interesting with their usage of priestly magic. The players should learn a bit about the threat from casters.

* Pus Golems should be a somewhat more unusual melee encounter, easier to take down (especially with fire), but with an unusual special attack.

* Brittlebone Skeletons should be the cannon fodder of the level. They should appear in larger numbers, present little threat, and be chomped down like Doritos.

#5 - What are some other unique features of this level? What are the non-combat encounters / events that take place (besides the usual locks & traps)? We're talking tricks, puzzles, riddles, and non-combat NPC encounters here.
The meditation room turned out to be a very visually impressive room, and I wanted an "old school" fountain puzzle to be a simple interactive object encounter - a puzzle.

The torture room was simply different by nature of its function. In this chamber, I wanted a non-combat NPC encounter with a prisoner. I wanted it to be something of a parody of an old-school "trick" - the beautiful women held captive who almost always turned out to be a villain. Her true nature is only revealed later in town (though not in the demo). This encounter isn't quite working right.

The entry hall was just sort of a subtle joke by itself - a grandiose hall for a less-than-grandiose deity. While not an encounter, it stands out.

There's a secret door next to the statue. In retrospect, I think I need to draw more attention to it so that players can learn about "secret doors."

The collapsed stairway was a bonus provided by Kevin. I need to do more with it.

#6 - How is the player expected to progress through the level? What are the non-linear level progression options? Why should the player visit this location more than once? As a final bit of functionality which is not 100% working yet (I'm probably going to have to completely revamp the AI / encounter system for this) - I also wanted to make it so that skipping earlier encounters made the boss encounter more difficult. This was something of a "soft linearity" added to the level. You could make a beeline straight for the boss chamber, but you'll have a difficult lock to bypass, and you'll have a really tough final encounter. I'm not sure how well that played out.

There's also supposed to be a special encounter behind the southern door in the statue room that can only be reached later in the game on a subsequent visit. That's not in the demo, and I won't talk about it here.

#7 - What are some of the secrets / bonuses in the level?
There's a secret door by the statue, behind which most of the best treasure in the level is found.

The torture chamber is optional and holds some extra loot, as well as an NPC encounter that should pay off a little bit later in the game.

And then there's the southern door in the statue room.

#8 - What is the player's purpose for visiting this level? What is their ultimate goal?
The player is dumped here as the starting point in the game - starting with a bang. The player finds out, through character conversation and the journal, that they are here on a good ol' fashioned mercenary expedition to loot some item for a benefactor.

#9 - How does this level advance the main story arc? How does it advance any sub-story quests?
Sub-story: The players get introduced to their rivals by discovering that they are the SECOND adventuring party to hit this temple. The first group was far more efficient.

Main Story: Kraltic Barg has a benefactor who gave him the valuable jewels that are the object of this quest in the first place. And - this may be too subtle, I don't know - the player may note a room that WOULD have been a very explosive experience given Chloe's known preference for fire-based spells.


My actual answers are a little longer in the original design document, but not in this format. I didn't want to bore you too much by just printing them here. But nevermind the answers - how would you expand on these questions?

Wanna chat in more detail? Check out the forum!

Labels: Frayed Knights, Game Design, Roleplaying Games

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